What is Agile Kanban?

Agile Kanban is a popular methodology for managing workflows in software development and other knowledge work. It emphasizes visualizing the work, limiting work in progress, and continuously delivering small increments of value. Kanban is based on the principles of the Toyota Production System, which is a lean manufacturing approach to optimizing production and reducing waste.

Tips for using the Agile Kanban Template

The Agile Kanban template is designed for teams that follow the Agile Kanban methodology. It provides a simple and intuitive way to visualize the work and monitor its progress. The template consists of two views - Backlog and Kanban - and four lists in the Kanban View: To Do, Selected for Dev, In Progress, and Done.

Backlog View

The Backlog view is where you can prioritize and manage the work that needs to be done. The To Do list is where you can add new work items, and you can move them to the Selected for Dev list once they are ready to be worked on. This view is useful for planning and prioritizing work, as well as estimating how much work can be done in a given time period.

Kanban View

The Kanban view is where you can track the progress of the work and ensure that everything is moving smoothly. The In Progress list is where you can see the work that is currently being worked on, and you can move it to the Done list once it is completed. This view is useful for identifying bottlenecks, optimizing workflows, and ensuring that work is continuously flowing.

Lists

  • Backlog: Work items in this list are typically not assigned to a team member and do not have a due date assigned to them. Instead, they are prioritized based on their importance and urgency, and are moved into the "To Do" list when they are ready to be worked on.
  • To Do: This list represents the work that needs to be done in the project. It can contain tasks, user stories, bugs, or any other type of work item that needs to be completed.
  • Selected for Dev: This list is where work items go once they have been chosen to be worked on next. Items in this list are typically assigned to a team member and have a due date assigned to them.
  • In Progress: This list contains work items that are currently being worked on by team members. It's important to limit the amount of work in progress to ensure that the team doesn't become overwhelmed.
  • Done: This list represents the work items that have been completed by the team. It's important to regularly review this list to ensure that completed work is being delivered on time and to a high standard.

Features

The Agile Kanban template includes two collections: Backlog and a Kanban view, which makes it easy to visualize the work and monitor its progress. The pipeline allows you to set up a workflow that reflects your team's process, while the Kanban view provides a simple and intuitive way to manage and track the work. Additionally, the template is fully customizable, so you can add or remove lists, labels, and cards as needed to fit your team's specific needs.

Customization

The Agile Kanban template is a perfect starting point for teams that follow the Agile Kanban methodology, but it can be customized to meet your team's specific needs. For example, you might want to add a "Blocked" list to track items that are waiting for dependencies or a "Review" list to track items that are waiting for feedback. You can also add labels to cards to indicate their priority or type, or use color-coded labels to categorize them by project or team.